Here are two mocks the first from Pat Kirwan and the second from Vic Carucci from Nfl.com. Both have Barron and Brown gone by #19. The first has the Rams taking Pool, the second Ware. I don't think it is unexpected that Brown and Barron are gone by #19, but I disagree with the choices. In the first mock I think they would take Davis at safety rather than Pool, and in the second I think they would have taken CB Rogers rather than Ware.

IN From NFL.com's Kirwan

(April 18, 2005) -- Here's how I see the first round shaking out:

1. San Francisco: Alex Smith, QB, Utah
They may get a deal done with Aaron Rodgers, but Smith has more people convinced he's the best QB in the draft.

2. Miami: Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn
If Smith had fallen to them, I believe they would have selected him. But without the Utah QB, they pick the Auburn running back.

3. Cleveland: Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan
The Browns pass on Rodgers, don't need a running back, and surprise some people with the wide receiver selection. They would have much rather moved down in the draft.

4. Chicago: Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
They could consider a wide receiver like Mike Williams, but Benson makes a lot of sense.

5. Tampa Bay: Carnell Williams, RB, Auburn
The Bucs would like to move up for Alex Smith and may get it done before the draft. Otherwise, they stay put and take a running back. Mike Williams looks tempting at this spot.

6. Tennessee: Mike Williams, WR, USC
If they want Norm Chow's offense to work and keep Steve McNair interested in continuing his career, they take Williams. I also wouldn't be surprised if they took a top-flight cornerback like Antrel Rolle.

7. Minnesota: Shawne Merriman, DE, Maryland
The Vikings may get Aaron Kampman before the draft, and that would change the decision. But if they don't get the Packers DE, then Mike Tice can get the player from his alma mater.

8. Arizona: Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas
Johnson is just too good to pass up here and the Cardinals can build their defense around him.

9. Washington: Adam "Pacman" Jones, CB, West Virginia
There will be serious discussion about Antrel Rolle but it may come down to Joe Gibbs already having enough Miami Hurricanes who want new contracts.

10. Detroit: Antrel Rolle, CB, Miami (Fla.)
The run on corners is on, and Detroit will claim he was the highest-rated corner on their board, and he may very well be.

11. Dallas: Demarcus Ware, DE, Troy
The desire to shore up the defense and possibly switch to a 3-4 leads the Cowboys to take Ware.

12. San Diego: Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina
Williamson is a vertical threat who will open up all the underneath routes for Keenan McCardell and All-Pro TE Antonio Gates.

13. Houston: Alex Barron, OT, Florida State
The Texans have been looking for a left tackle since Tony Boselli never regained his health.

14. Carolina: Jammal Brown, OT, Oklahoma
A little early for the right tackle, but now the Panthers have their bookend tackles for years to come.

15. Kansas City: Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn
There will be discussion about Erasmus James and the other pass rushers, but Rogers is the last of the elite corners and would pair up nicely with Patrick Surtain if the trade goes through -- especially with Randy Moss in the division.

16. New Orleans: Travis Johnson, DT, Florida State
The Saints defense needs playmakers and Johnson helps right away. They may consider Shaun Cody also at this point.

17. Cincinnati: Shaun Cody, DT/DE, USC
The Bengals need help up front and Cody is a versatile player with a motor.

18. Minnesota: Mark Clayton, WR, Oklahoma
The Vikings got their DE earlier, so they come back at this spot and draft Clayton, who will have an immediate impact in the slot.

19. St. Louis: Brodney Pool, FS, Oklahoma
The Rams need a free safety and the best one on the board is Pool. Linebacker is also a need, but they did sign two linebackers during free agency.

20. Dallas: Marcus Spears, DE, LSU
The mission is complete -- now the Cowboys are headed to the 3-4 defense. Spears is the only player in the draft at DE with great size and will give Parcells a 'Richard Seymour' type of lineman.

21. Jacksonville: David Pollack, DE, Georgia
Forget the short arms; this guy should go higher in the draft because he is a playmaker. With the Jacksonville defensive tackles, Pollack could generate double-digit sacks as a rookie.

22. Baltimore: Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin
He slipped because of lack of production in the second half of the season last year but is a good fit for a team headed to the 4-3 defense.

23. Seattle: Justin Miller, CB, Clemson
He just got in some off-the-field trouble but it should not affect his draft status. The Seahawks signed Kelly Herndon from the Broncos but still need a young player to replace Ken Lucas.

24. Green Bay: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Cal
Rogers may not fall this far if he doesn't do a pre-draft deal with the *****, but if he starts to slide no one really knows how far. He is the perfect guy to groom to replace Brett Favre when he retires.

1. San Francisco: Alex Smith, QB, Utah
The ***** want to trade the pick, but it doesn't seem likely they will make a deal. Their rating of Smith and former University of California quarterback Aaron Rodgers is fairly even. Smith seems to have a slight edge, but whether the Niners can sign him to a contract is no slam dunk. As a fallback, they could go with a local star that can help sell tickets and merchandise.

2. Miami: Aaron Rodgers, QB, California
Conventional wisdom has the Dolphins selecting Auburn running back Ronnie Brown in this spot. However, Nick Saban has many other options to upgrade that position, including a trade for an accomplished veteran. Franchise quarterbacks are rare, and the Dolphins have an opportunity to snag one in Rodgers or Smith, if he doesn't go first.

3. Cleveland: Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan
This might very well be the most talented athlete in the draft. He will have an instant impact, and help Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel speed up their efforts to turn this program around.

4. Chicago: Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn
The Bears need help at multiple spots, but running back is the priority. Brown is the draft's most talented player at his position. His receiving skills will do plenty to help the progress of young quarterback Rex Grossman.

5. Tampa Bay: Carnell Williams, RB, Auburn
There is plenty of speculation the Buccaneers are looking to trade up for a crack at Rodgers or Smith. However, they seem to have a long-term commitment to Brian Griese and they still have a promising youngster in Chris Simms.

6. Tennessee: Antrel Rolle, CB, Miami (Fla.)
He fills an immediate need created by the departure of Samari Rolle. And, no, they are not related.

7. Minnesota: Mike Williams, WR, USC
The Vikings easily could go with a defensive player, but they need to plug the Randy Moss hole. Williams, another tall target with a knack for big plays, does that.

8. Arizona: Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
The Cardinals will be thrilled to fill a crying need. If all of the top three running backs are gone, they always can go to their next-greatest need, CB, and select Adam Jones.

9. Washington: Adam Jones, CB, West Virginia
The Redskins would be ecstatic to fill a major hole in their defense with one of the two best cornerbacks in the draft.

10. Detroit: Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas
At one point, Johnson looked as if he would be the third overall choice, and that still could happen. But he might not be physical enough to be a top-five choice. His athleticism still makes him worthy of a top-10 pick.

11. Dallas: Shawne Merriman, DE, Maryland
Having played defensive end and outside linebacker in college, Merriman would be ideal for the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme.

12. San Diego: Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina
This tall, fast gamebreaker will complement Antonio Gates and allow Drew Brees to be even more productive than he was in his breakout season in 2004.

13. Houston: Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin
James can play on every down. He is equally effective rushing the passer as he is at stopping the run.

14. Carolina: Alex Barron, OT, Florida State
He offers tremendous size to go along with the exceptional athleticism necessary to protect the passer against the much faster rushers he consistently will face in the NFL. He should be ready to step in and fill a glaring hole.

15. Kansas City: David Pollack, DE, Georgia
He has the speed and athleticism to provide the kind of pass-rushing force Gunther Cunningham loves for his defensive front.

16. New Orleans: Travis Johnson, DT, Florida State
Johnson is a big, physical player who would be the disruptive inside force the Saints need.

17. Cincinnati: Jammal Brown, OT, Oklahoma
Marvin Lewis needs to improve his defense, but he also has to find a fixture at offensive tackle to take over for aging Willie Anderson.

18. Minnesota: Marcus Spears, DE, LSU
After addressing their need at wide receiver with the No. 7 pick, the Vikings can help enhance their 3-4 scheme in a big way with a large, powerful inside player who can push the pocket.

19. St. Louis: Demarcus Ware, DE, Troy
With both top offensive tackles gone, the Rams won't reach for one at this spot. Their best value is to select the best available pass rusher, who also is disciplined enough to be effective against the run.

20. Dallas: Darryl Blackstock, LB, Virginia
The Cowboys need to load up on front-seven help for their 3-4 front.

21. Jacksonville: Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn
Rogers' stock has been steadily on the rise; he is the sort of physical, tough player Jack Del Rio wants on his defense.

23. Seattle: Fabian Washington, CB, Nebraska
At 5-foot-10, he doesn't have ideal height, but his speed and coverage skills make Washington a solid nickel contributor as a rookie who should blossom into a solid starter.

24. Green Bay: Matt Roth, DE, Iowa
Roth mostly gets by on hustle, but once he improves his techniques -- particularly as a pass rusher -- he has the potential to make a long-term impact.

25. Denver: Corey Webster, CB, LSU
After losing Kelly Herndon to free agency, the Broncos can fill the hole with a strong, physical replacement who also has good ball skills.

26. New York Jets: Heath Miller, TE, Virginia
The Jets are in dire need for a big-time tight end. Miller is that player.

27. Atlanta: Brodney Pool, FS, Oklahoma
Pool is the best safety in the draft, period. He is an exceptional athlete who provides excellent run support and solid coverage.

29. Indianapolis: Odell Thurman, LB, Georgia
Despite their low draft position, the Colts figure to have a realistic chance of filling a need with the best inside linebacker in the draft.

30. Pittsburgh: Matt Jones, WR, Arkansas
The Steelers have a strong track record of success with turning former quarterbacks into big-play receivers. Jones is an extraordinary athlete with an amazing combination of size (6-6 and 241 pounds) and athleticism.

31. Philadelphia: Anttaj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin
Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson would be happy to add a big, powerful force to his defensive line this late in the first round.

32. New England: Channing Crowder, LB, Florida
Age and Tedy Bruschi's health issues make linebacker an obvious need for the Patriots.

-04-20-2005

ramsfan1975

Re: Kirwan's mock from NFL.com has Rams taking Pool

rodgers to green bay at no 24??? i dont think so!!! :tongue:

-04-20-2005

RAMMAN68

Re: Kirwan's mock from NFL.com has Rams taking Pool

Quote:

St. Louis: Demarcus Ware, DE, Troy

Unless the top two OT's are available, I don't see why we wouldn't go after the best S in the draft if he is available.

I don't mind the Pool pick - I think that's a solid selection for the future or as a contingency plan if Arch doesn't work at FS - but for the Rams to take Ware while passing up Rogers, Pool, and Davis makes no sense at all to me.

How can you trust the analysis of any "expert" who in a one line blurb cites our need as linebacker, the one area that given our offseason moves and current roster is certainly not what we NEED right now. Could we be better, sure. Can you categorize it as a real need, i just dont see how. Safety, right tackle and depth at corner are the true NEEDS.

general counsel

-04-20-2005

ZigZagRam

Re: Kirwan's mock from NFL.com has Rams taking Pool

Here's my 1st Round choices in order I'd take them. Being realistic here, no Derrick Johnson or Antrelle Rolle.

1. Alex Barron - Could he be the Stephen Jackson of 2005?
2. Carlos Rogers - Future shut-down corner here. I know CB is not one of our immediate needs but this guy's too good to pass on.
3. Jammal Brown - Liked him for awhile. Still a great pick at 19.
4. Brodney Pool - He could step in right away and star at FS IMO. Then add another SS later in the draft to challenge Archuleta.
5. Khalif Barnes - Again, he could start from Day 1. Still a good pick here.

I have no problem taking Pool. If that happens, I hope we wait until the 3rd round and grab Ray Willis to step in at RT. He's very underrated IMO.

Then there's Thomas Davis, who I just don't happen to like. Nothing against the guy, but I just don't think he's very good in coverage. He's Archuleta in my eyes.